ISP Trooper Receives Purple Heart Award
An Idaho State Police trooper has received the Purple Heart award after he was shot earlier this summer in a hostage standoff at a local motel.
Trooper Nick Walker was shot in the thigh by the suspect gunman, Clark Cleveland, as Walker and other police attempted to capture Cleveland. Walker, who had previously been deployed in Iraq before joining the ISP, elected to not have the bullet removed due to medical complications in doing so. He returned to work about the month later and back to patrol after about two months. During the ceremony yesterday at the Region IV ISP Headquarters in Jerome, Walker praised the other officers who were in the motel with him at the time, especially Twin Falls Police Officer JP O’Donnell who pulled Walker to safety after he was wounded and rushed him to the hospital. Walker was awarded the medal by his father, Cpl. Steve Walker, a 22 year veteran of the Idaho State Police.